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New on board

03-24-2013, 01:06 PM

Hello-

My husband and I are new to the primal/whole foods lifestyle. We have made major changes in our diet of the last 4 weeks. We said we would start with a month and see how it went. Well, that's tomorrow. He has lost about 10lbs and I have lost about 8, so that part is going smoothly.

I am having trouble letting go of lingering doubts- I mean lets face it, I've been on a high carb/grain "diet" most of my adult life. Which has basically led me to fight my weight up and down, mostly up despite exercise and "low fat, low cholesterol" eating, tracking calories, etc. I have these moments of doubt where I feel like "Oh my goodness, I must eat grains or I'll get some disease!" "Why does my neck hurt? must be the lack of grains!" "I'm tired today, must be my brain is not getting enough glucose!" You get the picture? Any advice?

Also, we both have "high" cholesterol in the 220-235 range, and I am very curious as to what those numbers will look like when I get retested at the end of April.

On top of that, we both have been having a lot of stomach gurgling, its not painful or hunger, but just gurgling sounds- whats up with that?

We are both motivated to lose weight, which is what brought us to this starting point. Also, I have been having IBS symptoms, achiness, etc for quite some time. I suspect, for me at least, there is more going on that just too many carbs. I have had both my gallbladder and appendix removed, at least 1o years ago. I suspect (now) that perhaps those things, as well as my current digestive (and perhaps other) symptoms are linked.

Anyway, I would love any advice you have to give me some reassurance. Basically, everyone thinks we're crazy.

Oh and also- the last 5 days or so, I have been very low energy. Its possible that I am fighting off illness as I have had a low level sore throat and some junk. On the other hand, maybe its b/c I've had no grains. ;-) see, I'm kinda freaked out.

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It's hard to un-do a lifetimes worth of understanding of nutrition. When I first read that grains = bad and fat = good I put the book down and just ignored it for a month. It was too big to get my head around.

We're further on in our journey and we're all much healthier for making the change to primal/Paleo. It took a whole to find our balance again though - our rituals and routines. To know what a snack looked like without crackers, crisps/chips or cookies. Now it's just how we live, we don't analyse it anymore and I just wouldn't go back to a SBD (std British Diet).

I think there is a mental and physical adjustment period when you make the switch to primal. What do you eat on a typical day?

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I sometimes have these thoughts too.....what if I'm missing some nutrient from the grain for example. Or maybe eating too much bacon is bad or something along those lines. But how I look at is a cost benefit analyst. Let's say that I am missing some nutrient (which I don't think I am), what's worse one missing nutrient or gaining back 49 pounds? I'm not a nutritionist, but I'd put my money on the obesity being a bigger problem.

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Hello Gunnerbee. You are not crazy. It's the world around us that's crazy, the oh-so-wrong dietary advice that has led almost all of us to the weight gain and other related problems in the first place, as you are already aware.

Congratulations on discovering primal and applying it to both of your lives. Congratulations on the weight loss to date. As you continue to be consistent you will continue to reap the benefits, which will further confirm that you are on a sane and healthy pathway. Can't wait to hear about your test results.

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I don't know if thw gurgling belly noises are related to your gallbladder/appendix removal, but I have those too... not painful or anything (been primal for 3 months). I guess it's just my stomach getting used to the new diet and I hope it'll eventually stop, since it can be slightly embarrassing :P

About being tired... it can be related to the recovery period after the illness, but I'm no doctor or expert so I don't have any advise there. When I'm tired I just rest, as silly as it sounds... I avoid doing too much exercise and just take a nice walk or if it's sunny I just read outside (with a blanket, since it's still quite cold here :P)

Leaving grains behind is a major life change and it's normal to have doubts and to be constantly challenged by usually well meaning people. Just do what you think is right for you and your body; read scientific literature about nutrition, keep a critic eye and continue doing what feels best.

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It's hard to un-do a lifetimes worth of understanding of nutrition. When I first read that grains = bad and fat = good I put the book down and just ignored it for a month. It was too big to get my head around.

We're further on in our journey and we're all much healthier for making the change to primal/Paleo. It took a whole to find our balance again though - our rituals and routines. To know what a snack looked like without crackers, crisps/chips or cookies. Now it's just how we live, we don't analyse it anymore and I just wouldn't go back to a SBD (std British Diet).

I think there is a mental and physical adjustment period when you make the switch to primal. What do you eat on a typical day?

Comment

Also, I've been exhausted- the first few weeks I felt great- like I wanted to jump! This past week- bone tired. So, I could be just sick or maybe its not agreeing with me (doubts creeping in). My throat is sore and my husband said its all red.
Is this an adjustment period or just a routine illness coupled w/ anxiety! ;-)

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Oh, sounds like you definitely fighting some illness. Look after yourself, rest and keep eating your good primal food which sounds excellent. You might consider scaling back the coconut and see if that affects the gurgling and lack of weight loss.

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It took about a month for me to get into stabilized energy , and I felt like my body was purging something--I got sick a few times and had those gurgles and such. Kind of wondered about the primals who said they don't get sick anymore. But now over a year in, I find I don't catch the colds that go around. I'd say stick with it and make sure you're getting enough sleep, let the body heal, walk plenty. Good luck.